This handsomely illustrated volume examines fifty of the most influential fashion designers of the past 100 years. Each designer's most significant creations are illustrated and discussed in light of how they survived the test of time, and then went on to influence fashion to the present day. The author categorizes leading fashion designers as follows-- Designers as Celebrities: Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Isaac Mizrahi, and others Defining Women for a New Generation: Gabrielle Chanel (20s and 50s), Claire McCardell (40s) Halston (70s), and others Designers as Artisans: Mariano Fortuny, Cristobal Balenciaga, Hohji Yamamoto, Olivier Theyskins, and others Designers as Futurists: Pierre Cardin, Andre Courreges, Thierry Mugler, and others Designers as Modernists: Francisco Costa, Jill Sander, Raf Simmons, and others Designers as Historians: John Galliano and Vivienne Westwood Designers as Conceptualists: Elsa Schiaparelli, Hussein Chalayan, Alexander McQueen, and others This comprehensiv